Cochran's croaking gecko
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| Cochran's croaking gecko | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Sphaerodactylidae |
| Genus: | Aristelliger |
| Species: | A. cochranae
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| Binomial name | |
| Aristelliger cochranae | |
Cochran's croaking gecko (Aristelliger cochranae), also commonly known as Cochran's Caribbean gecko[3] and the Navassa gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The species was described in 1931 by Chapman Grant and named after notable American herpetologist and artist Doris Mable Cochran.[3] The species received one of its common names from the loud croaking call of the male during the mating period.
Description[edit]
A. cochranae has a snout to vent length (SVL) up to 63 mm (2.5 in) in males and 53 mm (2.1 in) in females.[4] It has relatively short and massive legs.[citation needed] The colour of its body varies from beige brown to chestnut red and the back exhibits light spots. A dark chestnut crossband extends from the snout to the head, the nape, and the eyes. The largest part of the tail is dark grey to black.[citation needed] The hatchlings have clear white crossbands on the tail.[citation needed]
Occurrence and biology[edit]
Cochran's croaking gecko is endemic to Navassa Island,[1][4] an island between Haiti and Jamaica. It is relatively common despite its small habitat of 5.2 km² (2 sq mi).[citation needed] It is nocturnal and arboreal, which means that it lives and preys entirely on the branches or under the bark of ficus trees or fan palms (Thrinax morrisii ).[citation needed] Its diet consists of insects.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Powell, R.; Landestoy, M.; Inchaustegui, S. (2016). "Aristelliger cochranae (errata version published in 2017)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T203167A115347625. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T203167A2761346.en. Downloaded on 13 February 2019.
- ^ Grant C (1931). "A new species of Aristelliger from Navassa". Journal of the Department of Agriculture of Porto [sic] Rico 4: 399-400. (Aristelliger cochranae, new species).
- ^ a b Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Aristelliger cochranae, pp. 55-56).
- ^ a b Species Aristelliger cochranae at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
Further reading[edit]
- Schwartz, Albert; Henderson, Robert W. (1991). Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida. 714 pp. ISBN 0-8130-1049-7.
- Schwartz, Albert; Thomas, Richard (1975). A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (Aristelliger cochranae, p. 108).
External links[edit]
- Herpetology of Navassa Island, West Indies
- Relationship of Diet and Prey Availability in Aristelliger cochranae, a Gecko from Navassa Island, West Indies Archived 2006-11-09 at the Wayback Machine